Cortez Masto, Sheehy’s Bipartisan Legislation to Combat and Prevent Wildfires Clears KEY Senate Hurdle

Washington, D.C. –Today, bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee. TheWestern Wildfire Support Actwould provide resources to prevent wildfires, enhance firefighting efforts, and support communities impacted by increasingly severe wildfire seasons. This bill now heads to the Senate floor for consideration.
Over the past 20 years, wildfires have burned8.8 millionacres in the state of Nevada. Wildfire season has only gotten longer and more severe, and Western communities desperately need more support combatting this growing challenge.
“Every time I meet with wildland firefighters, they tell me the same thing: wildfire season is getting worse,”said Senator Cortez Masto.“Our communities need Washington to act now and deliver the resources they need to prevent, combat, and recover from wildfires. I applaud the bipartisan backing my vital legislation received in committee, and I urge its immediate consideration on the Sente floor.”
“We owe the American people a better national response to the threat of wildfire, and we owe our wildland firefighters the support and resources they need to protect our communities. This bipartisan bill is a critical step in achieving these goals, and I look forward to its full consideration by the Senate,”said Senator Sheehy.
TheWestern Wildfire Support Actauthorizes funding for cutting-edge firefighting equipment, creating new training programs for federal and local firefighters, and supporting wildfire recovery efforts throughout impacted landscapes and surrounding areas.
The full text of the legislation can be foundhere.
As the only Nevada Senator on the ENR Committee, Senator Cortez Masto has consistently fought for a comprehensive wildfire policy that effectively addresses the worsening crisis facing the West. She has led legislation tocreatea strategy to use targeted grazing to mitigate the risk of wildfires and toensureTribes have the resources they need to fight wildfires. Cortez Masto haspushedthe Department of the Interior and the United States Forest Service to reinstate the vital Women in Wildfire Bootcamp program. She fought against President Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts togut fundingfor wildfire prevention andsubjectseasonal firefighters to a federal hiring freeze.
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